TMU celebrates women in academia ahead of International Women’s Day

In the realm of academia, where scholarly achievements and research activities often take the spotlight, there remains a gap in the representation of women. To recognize and celebrate the contributions to academic excellence made by women on campus, the Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic has launched a new series – Empowering Women in Academia at TMU, which kicks-off Wednesday, March 6 (external link) .

Co-hosted by Roberta Iannacito-Provenzano, Provost and Vice-President, Academic, and Patrizia Albanese, Vice-Provost, Faculty Affairs, the upcoming event will feature Annette Bailey, Associate Dean, Graduate Studies and Internationalization, Faculty of Community Services and Associate Professor, Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, as she explores the theme of Women Leaders: Taking Care is Taking Charge. 

“The aim of this series is to amplify the voices and experiences of women, establish networks of support and mentorship and showcase the academic achievements and expertise of women across TMU,” says Iannacito-Provenzano. “We want to continue to create a culture of collaboration, mutual respect and shared success on campus.” 

While the series will look to celebrate women in academia and build a community on campus, it will also raise awareness and create conversations around gender equity challenges in higher education. Studies have shown that although women are more likely to attend postsecondary – with women making up over half of postsecondary graduates across Canada – they continue to be underrepresented in the senior ranks of faculty.

According to a report from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (external link)  about gendered trends in Ontario university faculty employment, female representation among all faculty increased rapidly from the late 1980s to the late 2000s from a base of 12 per cent to 35 per cent, before slowing in recent years. As of 2018, women made up just 39 per cent of all full-time faculty in Ontario, the same percentage as for Canada as a whole.

At TMU, female-identifying and non-binary individuals make up 48 per cent of full-time faculty (including librarians), as of October 2023.

“Teaching and learning at TMU are influenced by the diversity of ideas and experiences that members of our community bring,” says Albanese. “Diverse faculty are fundamental to innovation, teaching, scholarship and creative activities, and our students are better served by academic staff that reflect their own diversity.” 

Female-identifying and non-binary faculty members, contract lecturers, librarians and all other interested individuals are welcome to this free event. Celebrate International Women’s Day by networking with colleagues and engaging in discussion around academic women leaders. Learn more about the event and register (external link) .